


Holiday Blues

by durotos



Category: Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons Series (Video Games), Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town, Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family Gatherings, mental health
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29480826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/durotos/pseuds/durotos
Summary: Anna’s carefully constructed plans for the perfect family holiday meal turn to improvisation as a winter storm approaches along with an even more terrifying dessert prepared by Gray.
Relationships: Anna/Basil the Writer (Harvest Moon), Gray/Mary the Librarian | Marie (Harvest Moon)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	Holiday Blues

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheBeckster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBeckster/gifts).



The first thing that shocked Anna was the rate at which the snow was falling down.

“A complete whiteout, I tell ya!” Saibara had announced as he shook the snow from his beard and coat.

Anna bit her lip as he walked past the foyer in wet boots.

“Ah, I've got your coat!” Basil volunteered with a grin, making a big show of hanging it on the coat rack, Anna noticed with narrowed eyes.

_That help would have been appreciated earlier when I was slaving over a hot stove..._

The second unpleasant surprise for Anna was the large gelatinous mold that Gray planted in the middle of the table, shoving her carefully handcrafted centerpiece aside for his atrocity. Mary beamed with pride at her fiance's dish, sticking a dried stem of lavender on it like a flag atop a child's sandcastle.

“I'm so glad you tried the recipe!” Mary's face was alight as she and Basil collectively oooh-ed and aaaahh-ed over the blob on the plate.

“Ah, and you used the herbs we went foraging for last summer!” Basil was positively beaming.

“Followed the recipe to a T. I suppose he had the proper motivation.” Saibara's voice was raspy as he nudged his grandson in the ribs, who said nothing, but blushed deeply.

Anna looked at the clock with a sigh. Their company had arrived late, and the pre-dinner tea was cold.

A soft touch at her arm caused her to jump. “Mother, if you like, I can help put things on the table.”

Anna's eyes darted between the unplated food, the untouched hors d'oeuvres.

_Everything's out of order._

_This is all wrong._

“We may as well just move to the dinner since everything's so behind schedule.” Her words had a slight bite to them that she couldn't conceal.

Mary was already taking a side dish in one hand and the salad in another as Saibara and Basil talked shop in the background.

Anna's eyes flew to the window – it was as Saibara had announced: the snow was falling at a heavy pace. It was likely their guests would have to stay the night. Would the couch and recliner suffice? Would that really be proper accommodations? She bit her lip.

“Ah, A-Anna, what would you like me to do?” Gray was still getting accustomed to using his future mother-in-law's first name.

Her brows furrowed a bit as she pulled her gaze from the blizzard outside. Was it not enough that he had already stolen the center of the table? She thought bitterly at the hours she had spent in the kitchen all day. Her beautiful meal was decorated with an ugly gelatin salad front and center, and everyone had been so supportive about that she felt it unkind to suggest moving it elsewhere.

_He might as well be asking to carve the turkey and bring it to the table!_

Her practiced smile slipped a bit as she handed him some mashed potatoes and a gravy boat. “Do be careful! That tablecloth is vintage!”

The young man gulped and his once-steady hands now shook from their shared anxiety.

Mary deftly added the bread rolls to a basket (the one with the fabric lining that clashed with the tablecloth) and carried it off to the table with the butter as Anna held her breath.

“Basil, Dear, would you be willing to carve the turkey?”

He took his appointed tools and set toward the task. Anna needed to look elsewhere – he was cutting it wrong, and the breast meat was being mauled instead of being tidily cut into slices.

Before long, the meal was served and everyone took their seats. Among the clattering of silverware and passing of dishes, Anna was deaf to the murmurs of approval and compliments on her dishes as her eyes remained glued to the heavy snow falling outside.

Basil and Saibara were discussing a cave in the middle of the Kappa Lake and Anna silently hoped her husband wouldn't suggest they all trek over the ice to visit a dark, spooky place like that. Mary's voice was chipper as she and Gray were discussing a book they had finished together recently. She watched the conversations take place as she tore her eyes from the window.

_This is going fine... Good hostesses always have lively discussions going on at the table._

Her smile became strained as she realized she had nothing to contribute to either conversation happening at the table.

Her stress alleviated a bit as she noticed the empty or near-empty plates. Her eyes moved toward the green lump sitting in the middle of the table.

“How about some dessert?” she suggested, her voice hesitant.

There were murmurs of agreement as she got out the dessert plates. Everyone looked toward her, and she felt her heart lift. She gave them a graceful nod, using the good serving spatula.

“Now, I think it's only fair that our budding _patissier_ get the first piece.” She hoped her words didn't sound as bitter as her heart felt.

Gray blushed, but gave a slight nod as Mary placed a gentle hand on his arm.

“Getting his _just desserts_!” Saibara laughed roughly, and Basil roared in response. She looked over at them and struggled to keep her expression neutral as she saw the two of them had already helped themselves to the moscato that was waiting to be served after the meal.

Anna sliced into the mold, giving him a respectable amount. She moved to place it on the plate and it wobbled and fell, landing on the vintage tablecloth with a distinct _splat_.

Anna blinked as her world went blank. She was numb to the tears sliding down her cheeks as the radio static in her head became louder, flipping the dial on the tuner too quickly to register the voices humming, buzzing, blaring.

Sasha and Manna's snide giggling – Basil and Saibara's roaring laughter...

The harsh winds from the storm howling at the windows.

Muttered words as she had read over the recipes...

Her own mother's words as she was taught the dishes...

Laughter.

More laughter.

Unkind, cruel laughter...

A small, dainty hand reached across the table and gave hers a squeeze, and Anna gasped as she came back to reality. Her vision returned, coming in cloudy at first, her eyes flickering from empty dish to empty dish – the remnants of her hard work.

Mary gave a firmer squeeze and Anna looked at her daughter, tears swimming in her eyes.

The young woman uttered three simple words that broke the spell over her mother.

“Five second rule.”

The jarring phrase pulled her from her despair. “Wh-what?”

Mary had already moved to her side of the table, Gray at her side.

“Five second rule,” Gray repeated. “That piece still looks good to me. I'd be happy to have it.”

“B-But....”

Mary handed her mother a napkin, swiftly scooping the gelatin on Gray's plate and placing another napkin down to cover the green smear left in its wake. “It's okay, Mother. You served us a wonderful meal. Let us serve the dessert.”

Her lips quivered in protest, but her eyes followed Mary's careful hands as she sliced the dessert and gave it to Gray, who silently handed the sweets to Basil, Saibara, and finally Anna herself. They worked as an efficient unit, swift and silent, but their chemistry and comfort around one another was unmistakable.

“A good team,” Saibara commented with a proud smile.

Basil hesitated – he knew his wife had her pride, after all. “I-is everything alright, Darling?”

Anna dabbed her tears away and gave a nod as Mary gave her mother's hand a reassuring squeeze.

“When did you get so grown-up?” she whispered, a smile forming on her lips. It wouldn't be long until they would all be seated at the church, watching Mary walk down the aisle toward her groom-to-be.

“It's been a while,” with a soft smile, Mary went back to her seat, blushing as Gray pulled out her chair for her.

Anna watched them carefully – she knew that her own relationship with her husband could use some work, but for the first time in a long time, she _cared_ that it needed improvement.

“Nothing like a sweet ending to a delicious meal,” Saibara commented. “I can't thank you enough for inviting us into your home, Anna and Basil.”

She felt her husband's hand reach for hers under the table. Her heart swelled and she felt a little giddy.

_It's been so long..._

_This almost feels... new._

“To new beginnings!” Basil raised a spoon of his dessert as a toast.

Anna found herself holding her spoon out as well.

The dessert was surprisingly good – not too sweet, and it had a nice, clean finish. Again, it didn't keep her eyes from returning to the snow falling outside.

“I think it might be safest for you both to stay the night,” Anna admitted, and Basil gave a nod.

“We'll make a cozy sleeping place for you two down here.”

“And we'll have six heads to figure out breakfast for tomorrow,” Mary pointed out gently.

Anna gave a nod as she settled into her dessert, her heart relaxing. Basil gave her hand a squeeze under the table and she felt a smile creep across her lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for the prompt @TheBeckster! Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
